Assembling apparatus for hair curler assembly



A. SAUSIK 3,

ASSEMBLING APPARATUS FOR HAIR CURLER ASSEMBLY April 2, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 20, 1965 INVENTOR. ALBERT SAU$|K April 2, 1968 A. SAUSIK 3,375,565

ASSEMBLING APPARATUS FOR HAIR CURLER ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 20, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet Ill- INVENTOR. ALBERT SAUSI K iww/ W United States Patent Ofiice 3,375,565 Patented Apr. 2, 1968 3,375,565 ASSEMBLING APPARATUS FOR HAIR CURLER ASSEMBLY Albert Sausik, 2 Lakehurst Crescent, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada Filed Oct. 20, 1965, Ser. No. 498,569 24 (Ilaims. (Cl. 29208) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A cooperating shank and pin for assembling mesh onto the quasi-cylindrical former of a hair curler. The pin holds the former and the shank is inside and shapes the mesh so that when means bring the shank and pin into abutting relationship and means propels the mesh toward the pin, the shank guides the mesh over the former. In one aspect of the invention the pin and shank are provided with cooperating aligning means. In another aspect of the invention the shank is propelled by two pairs of rollers with a depression for a roller or roller pair providing an enlargement rearward of the depression to limit movement of the shank in the direction of the pin.

This invention relates to means and a method for placing the mesh on the former for supporting and/ or shaping such mesh in a hair curler.

It should here be explained that such former is generally, although not necessarily, a helical coil of Wire, shaped in a generally cylindrical form to frame mesh which it supports into a generally cylindrical shape, such helical coil of wire being generally resilient but of sufficient strength to support the mesh which is usually of a very open weave of yarn or filaments, of nylon or other synthetic material. The helical coil of wire defines a central passage extending therethrough. The mesh is, when considered by itself, of soft material usually not selfsusta'ining, and at least over short periods of time, nonresilient. It should also be noted that after the mesh is inserted on the former, a brush may be inserted inside the mesh to project outwardly therethrough. This is however subsequent to the operations discussed herein, and forms no part or the present invention, although the present invention may be used Where, after the steps described, a brush is to be inserted.

It is an object of the invention to provide means for placing the mesh on the former which is automatic but has heretofore always been performed manually.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be discussed after reference to the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 shows a perspective view of apparatus incorporating the invention;

FIGURE 2, 3 and 4 show a side view of some of the apparatus of FIGURE 1; I

FIGURE 5 shows a cross-section along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 shows a commonly used weave for the mesh discussed herein;

FIGURE 7 shows an alternative to the construction of elements shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 8 shows a further alternative to the construction of elements shown in FIGURE 1, and;

" FIGURE 9 is a cross-section along the line 99 of FIGURE 8.-

In FIGURE 1 is shown a frame which may be mounted on the floor or on any desired mount including opposed end plates 10 and a top plate 12.

Mounted on and projecting above said frame is a subframe 14.

A shaft 16 is mounted projecting through and rotatable relative to the end plates 10. The shaft 16 mounts at one end thereof a plurality of (here four) arms 17 radially projecting from the shaft 16 M angular intervals to each other for purposes to be hereinafter discussed. The other end of the shaft projects from the opposite end of the frame and has a circumferential shoulder 18 at its free end. A compression spring 19 bears at one end on the frame and at the other end on the circumferential shoulder 18 to bias shaft 16 in the axial direction away, from the arms 17, Washers (not shown) are, of course, provided to ensure that the spring 19 does not interfere with shaft rotation or vice versa.

At the end of each of the arms 17 is provided a pin 40 projecting therefrom approximately parallel to the axis of shaft 16 and having a free end 42 at the end of such projecting end.

The former with which the invention is used has a passage therethrough and skeletal members thereabout which act to define the passage but whose main purpose is to support the mesh in the desirable and well known form for a hair curler. In the embodiment shown, the former is a helix of copper wire, adapted to hold the mesh in the form of a cylinder. However, the cylindrical shape need not be exact and the skeletal material of the former may be of any suitable material, including plastic while the geometry of the former, for use with the invention, is only required to define (1) the desired basic shape of the mesh and (2) a passage therethrough for insertion of a pin, with the passage being throughout, inside the intended tubular locus defined by the former.

The pin 40 is of a size to be slidably inserted in the passage of a cylindrical former 21 for the mesh, which former must be of a shape to m'aintainthe mesh in an approximately cylindrical form and whichusually (but not necessarily) as shown, in the form of a helical spring 21 defining a central passage along the axes into which the pin 40 may be slidably'received, with the helical spring 21 acting as a rib structure adapted to support the mesh.

As shown in the drawing, shoulders 60- are located adjacent the root of each pin 40, to act as a stop for the former 21 on movement thereof toward the root of pin 40. In FIGURE 1, the arms 17 are shown and will be' intermittently rotated through 90 movements as here inafter described, in a clockwise direction as viewed from the left in FIGURE 1. Thus the arms, in such intermittent movement, are designed to successively assume a top position and positions 90 spaced therefrom. It is assumed that a spring is placed on a pin 40 90 before the pin 40 reaches top position, is supplied with mesh in top position, and isremoved from the arms 17 at the position 90 past topposition. The means for applying the springs on formers 21 to the pin 40 are not shown. These means may be manual, but will usually be automatic, and if automatic will be synchronized with the performance of the mesh adding function, but in any event may take any one of a number of Well known forms. Similarly means not shown, but well known to those skilled in the art, will be provided for withdrawing the formers from the pin 40 at 90 past top position.

Means, as best shownin FIGURE 2, are shown for retaining the helical spring or former 21 in position on the pin 40 and such means comprises a bell-crank arm 44 pivotally mounted as shown at 46 on a bracket 48 mount ed on the arm 17 adjacent but radially inward of the pin 40. The bell-crank 44 is provided with a straight extent 50 displaced from pivot 46 outward toward the pin 40 to normally assume an orientation parallelto the spring 21 to bear frictionallythereon under the resilient bias of a leaf spring 52attached to the other arm of the bell-crank 44 and adapted to bear on the body of arm 17. The free end radially outward of the flat portion 50 (relative to pivot point 46) is turned radially inward (relative to arm 17) 'to provide a sloping surface to guide aspring 21 into position onto the pin, when straight extent 50 is deflected out of position against the bias of spring 52. The bell-crank 44 is extended approximately parallel to the arm 17 to provide an extent 54 on the opposite side of pivot 46 from the flat portion 50 the extent 54 being normally spaced from the arm 17 to allow deflection of the arm 44 and extent 50 away from the spring 21 when the flat portion 54 is contacted by a stop 56. As will be later seen from the description of the operation of the device, the purpose of this deflection of extent 50 away from pin 40, which occurs in the top position of the arm 17, is to free the lower surface of the helical former to allow the passage of mesh thereover.

Means is provided to locate the former 21 in a predetermined position on pin 40. The preferred form for such means is now described. Rotatably mounted on the sub-frame 14, to contact the helical former on the pin 40 is a brushwheel 58 of resilient material adapted to rotate in the direction to cause its contacting surface to impel the helical former 21 toward the stop 60. The brush 58 at predetermined times is caused to rotate in the desired direction by means not shown but to be hereinafter referred to.

There is provided a cylindrical shank 62, having free ends 75 and 73 which is maintained by means to be described in position with free end 75 aligned with the free end 42 of pin 40, by two pairs of rollers 64 and 66,

68 and 70 each pair having a roller located above and a H roller below the shank 62 and adapted to exert frictional pressure thereon and adapted to prevent movement of the shank in a direction transverse to the axis thereof. In the preferred embodiment, a pair of rollers 64 and 66 nearer the pin 40, provide means for preventing transverse movement simply by the provision of side flanges 65 on both rollers, with a groove 67 (forming a portion of a circle in a plane containing the roller axis) between the said flanges 65, shaped to receive the preferably cylindrical cross-sectional contour of the shank 62. A similar roller construction to that described, is shown in FIG- URE 9, although FIGURE 9 in fact, shows an alternative form for the rearward rollers. The rollers 68 and 70, are, in this form of the invention, preferably provided with rolling surfaces cylindrical about the axis of the roller as shown in FIGURES 1 and 5. In the preferred embodiment, as shown in FIGURE 1, 2 and 3; the shank 62 is, adjacent the pair of rollers 68 and 70, provided with a pair of depressions 72 and 74. The depression 72 is parallel to the axis of roller 68, is preferably the surface of a cylinder, and in its normal operating position is nearly but not quite concentric with the axis of roller 68, and the purpose of the shape of depression 72 is to give a line of contact transverse to the axis of the shank 62 for good functional contact of the roller 68. Because of the particular qualities of the mesh commonly used, the roller 68 is, in operation (as hereinafter described), located to achieve said line of contact along a part of the surface of depression 72 on the forward side of the centre thereof. The terms forward and rearward are used herein in relation to the direction of movement of the mesh, which will be found to be from the shank 62 onto the pin 40. Thus forward means in the direction from shank 62 to pin 40 and rearward, in the opposite direction. Thus it will be seen that, under normal operation, frictional contact of the surface of roller 68 and the rearward part of depression 72 do not exist, on the side of surface 72 remote from the pin 40. t The roller contacting surface of depression 74, is par allel tot-he axis of roller 70, and is similarly shaped to depression 72 and bears;the same relationship to roller 70 as depression 72 bears to roller 68; and hence is contacted 'by the roller 70 on the forward portion of the surface 74. One of the rollers 68 and 70, preferably roller 68 is provided with side flanges 69, as best illustrated in FIGURE 5 to maintain the shank 62 against movement transverse to the longitudinal axis of the shank.

4 The shank 62, is preferably of cylindrical shape, having depressions 72 and 74, as described, for cooperation with the rear rollers and having near free end 75 a portion flared outwardly, toward free end 75 of larger diameter than the largest diameter of the former 21, when viewed in the mesh travel direction, to guide the mesh passing over the shank onto the former. The sh ank 62 isypreferably provided with a recess 76 at free end 75 to receive the free end 42 of pin 40 in accord with the operation to be described. The opposed free end of the shank 62 from the recess 76 is provided with a rounded free end 73 to allow mesh from a supply thereof (not shown) to be easily supplied thereover.

Although the rollers 64 and 66 on the one hand and 68 and 70 on the other, will in accord with the operation to be described, turn in the direction to tend to move the shank 62 toward the pin 40, this does not in fact occur since the pin 40 (other means not interfering with the tubular mesh path can be used) moves to the root of recess 76 as the case may be, to act as a stop during rotation of the rollers. Thus the pin 40 on the top position arm 17, as a stop to maintain the shank in the position shown in FIGURE 2, with the rollers 68 and 70 contacting the forward portion of the recesses 72 and 74, during rotation of the rollers. Thus, during rotation of the two pairs of opposed rollers 64 and 66, 68 and 70, the mesh will progress under the pressure of the rollers over the shank which is retained against movement in the forward direction by the stop means and it will be understood that the bearing pressure by the rollers on shank 62 is not of course sufiicient to act as a serious brake on roller rotation. The rollers are preferably adjusted to the desired spacing and have either resilient construction or resilient biasing to achieve the desired frictional pressure on the mesh.

It should be noted that the mesh may be of any extremely wide weave of soft construction, seldom by itself, in any degree, self-sustaining and requiring for use, support by the coil. The mesh most commonly used is as shown in FIGURE 6, with equally spaced helices, running in opposite sense, to form between them cylindrically curved diamonds as shown in the drawing. Each of the helices is composed of a pair of intertwined filaments of synthetic material and such pair of filamentsand each wire of a pair, goes successively over and under the filament of the other pair at crossings and the two filaments of a pair go on opposite sides :relative to the filament of another. The filaments are usually, not attached to the filaments which they cross. The productis 64 and 66. In the preferred embodiment,"this is achieved by adjusting the rollers 68 and 70 to have a greater bearing pressure on the mesh and the underlying shank than the forward rollers and by the use of the line contact of the rear roller with the surfaces of depressions 72 and 74 whereas the rollers 68 and 70 are driven at the same speed as the rollers 66 and 64, to avoid wrinkling of the mesh on the shank 62 It may also be desirable at this time to discuss the alternatives to the rollers 68 and 70, shown, and these are shown in FIGURE 7 and 8 respectively.

Returning for the moment to FIGURE 2, it will be noted that since the rollers 68 and 70 do not operate concentrically with the grooves 72 and 74, there is no critical limitation on the shape of the trailing portion of depres sion 72 and 74 and thus these depressions may, without tive to the rearward extent of the, shank) as indicated in solid lines in FIGURE 7, or may be extended rearward- 1y at the rear end of the shank as also shown in FIG- URE 7. By such extensions, the possibility of binding of rollers 68 and 70 on the outwardly curving rearward portion of the depressions, will be avoided.

It is considered within the scope of the invention, but a disadvantageous mode of operation in most circumstances, to have the rollers 68 and 70 hearing, on but concentric with, cylindrical depressions 72 and 74 (is. of the shape shown in FIGURE 2). It should be noted however, that if such arrangement (thought to be less advantageous than others) is used then the use of the pin 40 or another stop may be replaced by the fact that the rearward surfaces 72 and 74 of the depressions will act as stops to restrict movement of the shank, it being realized that when movement of the shank is restricted by such stops the rotation of the rollers causes the mesh to move forwardly onto the former. The reason the last described arrangement is considered less advantageous than others, is that contact between the rollers and the rearward diverging portions of depressions 72 and 74 tends in some instances, to cause a binding on the mesh and consequent braking of the rollers.

In the alternative of FIGURE 7 as stated, the flat portion of the depressions 72 and 74 is extended rearwardly for a certain distance, or right off the rearward end of the shank, and in either event there must be provided a stop independent of the rollers and shank to prevent forward movement of the shank when the rollers rotate. Such stop is preferably the pin free end 42 contacting the shank.

In the alternative, shown in FIGURE 8, a stop for the shank is also required, since the shank in the extent contacted by the two pairs of rollers is provided with a uniformly shaped circular cross-section in a longitudinal direction. Thus as shown in FIGURE 9, the rearward rollers 68A and 70A, as well as the forward rollers, are shaped to conform to the shape of the shank, and thus to restrain it against transverse displacement while bearing on the mesh and shank to impel the mesh toward the former when the shank 62 is retained against movement by the pin 40. It has been found that this arrangement is quite satisfactory over shorter and medium length runs. However, it is found, over some extended runs, that due to the difference of diameter between the edges and the centre of the mesh contacting portion .of the rollers 68A and 70A the mesh is moved slightly farther forwardly with each rotation of the rollers at the portion contacted by the larger diameters than it is at the root of the groove. This may be found to cause wrinkling of the mesh between the rollers which could ultimately cause travel of the wrinkles under the rollers 64 and 66 and interference with the smooth operation of the device. It is noted that while three alternatives for the construction of the rear rollers in the shank have been discussed, that in each case it has been suggested that the front rollers may be of a construction similar to that shown in FIG- URE 9. The same difliculty, with the differing diameters of the portions of the rollers which contact the mesh, is not encountered with the forward rollers since these, in preferred arrangements, exert less pressure on the mesh than the rearward rollers, consequently mesh supplied to them, tends to travel thereunder without regard for the slight difference in relative speed between the mesh at the root and edges of the roller .grooves.

It will be realized that it is within the scope of the invention, to replace the flanges on the rollers by stationary guide means on each side of the shank adapted to allow sliding movement of the mesh between the shank and the guide means but to prevent transverse movement of the shank.

Transverse movement of the shank may, at the location of the forward or of the rearward pairs of rollers, be prevented by replacing a pair of opposed rollers with three rollers mounted to have their rolling surfaces bearing on the shank at spaced locations.

Before describing the remaining mechanism used with the preferred embodiment of the invention it is desired to emphasize that one of the main novel features thereof, is the use of a shank which is not rigidly supported by any other member but is supported only by means which, due to the use of a stop for the shank which does not interfere with mesh travel, will always locate the shank in the desired position and will then move in slidable relationship to the shank so that the mesh may move freely onto the shank and off a free end of the shank on to the former.

The means for operating the arms 17 and pins 40 will now be described.

Adjacent and parallel shaft 16 and rotatably mounted in end plates 10 is drive shaft 20 which is rotatably driven from a power source not shown. Shaft 16 is mounted to be not only rotatably but also slidably mounted in end plate 10.

Swingably mounted on the rearward side of end plate 10 is a lever or bell-crank 22 connected to establish the relative axial location of shafts 16 and 20. Lever 22 is pivoted at 24 about an axis perpendicular to shaft 16 and has at one end a pin 26 arranged to ride in a circumferential groove 23 .on shaft '16. It will be noted that because of this arrangement the deflection of lever 22 will displace shaft 16 axially, and the orientation of lever 22 will control the position of that shaft in an axial sense. The end of lever 22 on the opposite side of pivot point 24 from pin 26 is provided with a roller 28 pivoted on an axis roughly perpendicular to shaft 16 and indeed to shaft 20. The roller 28 is arranged to roll on the operative surface of a cam 30 which extends about shaft 20 with its operative surface facing rearwardly.

The operative surface of the cam 30 is (about the major portion of its circumference) relatively displaced in a forward direction, as at 31, allowing shaft 16 to be displaced in such forward direction by spring 19, while the cam over a smaller are 33 of the circumference is dis placed in the rearward direction to consequently displace the roller 28 (when in contact therewith) and lever 22 to axially move shaft 16 in the forward direction. Also mounted on shaft 16 is a plate 32 having four radially outwardly opening slots 34 at the plate edge displaced from one another. Between each angularly adjacent pair of said slots the radially outward edge of the plate 32 is shaped to be, when the line joining the shaft 16 and 20 is half way between slots 34, concentric with shaft 20.

The shaft 20 is provided with a cam surface having over the major proportion of its circumference a cylindrical shape 36 shaped to rotate slidably in any one of the four concavities between the slots 34 in plate 32 and thus during this portion of rotation of shaft 20 prevents rotation of the shaft 16. Such surface 36 is however interrupted over part of the circumference of the cam by a surface 37 which is concave outward and is shaped to allow rotation of the slot defining portions of plate 32 past the cam 36. An arm extends radially outwardly from shaft 20 carrying near its outer end a pin 38 oriented and shaped to move slidably into and out of slots 34, under conditions of mutual and opposite rotation of the two shafts, and the pin 38 is located angularly about shaft 20 at approximately the centre of the concave radially outward surface 37 and is arranged and of a length to ride in a slot 34 when the shaft 16 is displaced in the forward direction by lever 22.

In rotation of shaft 20 therefore, during the rotation of the pin 38 clear of any slot 34, the shaft 16' is not driven and in fact is held in a given angular location by the convex outward surface 36 riding in a concave outward portion of plate 32. When the pin 38 has rotated to the proper angular location, it enters the slot 34 angularly adjacent in the direction opposite to the direction of rotation of shaft 16 to the one last vacated -by the pin in the direction opposite to the direction of rotation. Just before the pin 38 enters the last mentioned slot 34, the leading portion of the concavity in cam 36 in the direction of rotation, has passed the defining edges of the last mentioned slot 34, and the line joining shafts 16 and 20, whereby when the pin 38 enters the slot it now rotates the plate 32 and with it the shaft 16, until the slot 34 has reached the location where the pin 38 in its normal rotation moves out of the slot leaving the shaft 16 stationary where it will remain by virtue of the convex surface 36 resting in the concavity of plate 32. The location of slots 34 is such that the rotation of shaft 16 through the cooperation of the pin 38 and a particular slot, is through 90 and that just before and just after such rotation, a pin 40 is located with its free end 42 aligned with shank recess 76.

It will be noted that the dimensions of concavity 37 must be such that the convexity 36 does not contact the concavity between slots 34 rearward (in the rotation direction of shaft 16) of the line joining shafts 16 and 20, from the time, in the rotation of shaft 20, from just before the entry of pin 38 into a slot 34, until just after the exit of the pin 38 from the same slot. This is so that the shaft 16 will be free to rotate at times when the pin is in the slot. Due to the operation of the cam surfaces 33 and 31 on the axial displacement of shaft 16, the arms 17 are displaced in the forward direction, during the period of their rotary motion with shaft 16, and are move-d this way just before such rotary motion commences and displaced in the rearward direction just after such motion has ceased. For the remainder of the rotation of the pin 38 and shaft 20, the arms 17 are in their rearward displaced location.

Means are also provided, for severing the mesh placed by the mechanism about a former, from the mesh remaining on the shank 62, and this is achieved by a heatable wire 78 held on a frame 80 which is slidable transversely of the mesh direction, on rods 82 which are mounted on the top wall 12 of the frame. Attached to the frame 80 is a downwardly extending arm 84 mounting a roller 86 at its lower end. The arm 84 and frame 80 are biased in the direction of movement of the wire 78 between the pin end 42 and the shank free end 75 in their spaced positions, and the wire 78 is located to pass through such space. On shaft 20, adjacent arm 84, is mounted a cam having a radially outward surface 88 at one part of the circumference and a radially inward surface 90 at the other part.

This cam is arranged so that when the pins 40 contact the shank 76 the hot wire 78 is maintained by the radially outward cam surf-ace 88 spaced from the line joining pin 40 and shank 62. However when subsequent to this, the pin end 42 moves away from the shank end '75 to leave a space therebetween, radially inward portion 90 of the cam is arranged to move under roller 86 allowing the hot wire 78 to move under the impulsion of the spring 92, to contact and sever the mesh extending between the pin end 42 and the shank end 75. Thereafter in the rotation of shaft 20, the radially outward position 88 again moves under roll 86 moving hot wire 78, clear of the line between the pin and shank free ends. The hot wire 78, is heated by electrical current from a source, not shown, in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. The hot wire 78 is used, since the construction of the mesh, will usually be of synthetic material, easily cut in this manner, without any undue deflection or stress on adjacent portions of the mesh.

In opreation, it will be assumed that, initially, the parts are in the positions shown in FIGURE 1 and it will be understood that at this time the drive shaft 'is rotating while shaft 16 is stationary. A spring 21 is being placed on a pin 40 on the arm 17, 90 before to the top position, and a spring 21 with mesh thereon is being withdrawn from the pin 40 on arm 17, 90 past the top position. In the top arm 17 position a spring is held by the extent '50 on the pin 40 and is in contact with the roller 58 which is not rotating at this time. It is immaterial as soon explained whether at this instant the spring is up against shoulder 60.

Since the pin 40, with the spring 21 thereon, has reached the top position, ready for application of the mesh, and due to the extent of cam 36, riding in the concave outward portion of plate 32, pin end 42 is held in position aligned with the recess 76 of the shank, the roller on lever 22 has in the rotation of shaft 20 almost reached the end of its travel on the rearward portion 33 of cam 30, and pin 38 has just moved out of a slot 34 wherein it moved the shaft 16 to the position shown. As rotation of the shaft 20 continues, the forward portion 31 of cam 30 is contacted by the roller on lever 22; under the im: pulsion of the spring 19,the shaft 16 is moved rearwardly so that the free end of pin 40 comes to rest in the recess of the forward end of shank 62. As this occurs, the extent 54 of bell-crank 44 meets the stop 56 and is deflected to move the extent 50 away from the coil ready to allow the travel ofthe mesh between the coil and the extent 50. As the pin end 42 comes to rest in the recess 76 (it is immaterial if there is a slight spacing here) it is desirable that the rollers 58, 64, 68 and 70 start rotating. This may be achieved in any one of a number of well known manners but for example may be operated by a microswitch 71 located on arm 56 to be depressed by approaching motion of arm 70. The circuit for operating the rollers, will be of the type whereby,

once connected, by microswitch 71, it will operate and cease operation of the rollers before the release of the microswitch by the removalof pin 56 from the adjacent arm 17, but which circuit cannot be reoperated by the microswitch 71 to again initiate roller movement until the latter has been released and reoperated.

On operation of the microswitch 71 such circuitry (not shown) for causing rotation of the rollers 58, 64, 66 68 and 70 is connected, to cause operation .of such rollers and as a result, the movement of brush 58 moves spring 21 so that it is positioned firmly against the shoulder 60. At the same time the rollers 64, 66, 68 and.70 rotate in the direction tending to move the shank 62 and with it the mesh forwardly. However, shank 62.will only move forward until the root of recess 76 strikes pin end 42, which is a stop for means for correctly axially locating the shank. As soon as this happens, all motion of the shank must stop and the rotation of the rollers 64,66, 68 and 70 acts to move the mesh onto the spring 21. While it would be possible to have the mesh operate a limit switch when sufiicient mesh has been supplied, it has been found preferable to have the rollers 64, 66, 68 and 70 (and brush 58) which should operate for a simultaneous time controlled by any conventional timing means to operate for a predetermined length of time, which is calculated and adjusted so that the required amount of mesh is supplied.

As an alternaive to the microswitch and electric circuit method of operating the rollers 64, 66, 68 and 70,

it will be obvious that cams and linkages could also be used in manners also well known to those skilled in the art. It should perhaps also be noted, that the mesh and spring after the completion of the operations described, and after removal from the pins at the advanced position, is merely going to have the free ends of the mesh tucked into the holes in each end of the former, and thus the overlapping ends of the mesh while required do not have a critical length.

The rotation of the pin 38 and of the cam 30, is adjusted in relation to the period of operation of the rollers 64, 66, 68 and 70 so that soon after the rollers have ceased to operate, the roller of lever :22 contacts the rearward portion of the cam 30, to deflect the lever 22 and shaft 16 against the pressure of spring 19' and to move the pin in the top position, with the mesh now thereon, into a spaced position in relation to free end 75 of shank 62. At the same time, extent 50 is moved by spring 52 against the mesh and spring to holdthem on the pin 40. It will be noted that, at this time, the microswitch 71 is released, ready for further operation,

on the positioning of a new spring 21 in front of the I shank 62. It will also be noted that in such retractive movement of the top pin 40, there may be a slight retraction of mesh supplied to the spring 21 on such top pin. This is not considered critical, but if the amount retracted, were to tend to cause a problem,'it may be counteracted by the supply of a slightly extra amount of mesh over the spring during the mesh supply operation.

Thus with the rollers stopped and the pin now spaced from the shank, the rotation of the orientation of cam surfaces 88 and 90 is adjusted, so that the roller 86 moves off the cam surface 88 onto the cam surface 90 to release arm 84 for movement under the impulsion of spring 92 to cause the hot wire 78 to contact and sever the mesh between the pin 40 and the shank 62. As soon as the hot wire has achieved this the roller 86 passes ofi extent 90 and onto the raised portion 88 of the shank again to retract the hot wire 78 from between the pin and the shank. Immediately thereafter under a continued rotation of shaft'20, the leading portion concave outward portion of 37 passes opposite the defining edges of the slot 34 (which is 90 rearward relative to the rotation of shaft 16 relative to that shown in near contact with the pin in FIGURE 1) passes the line joining shafts 20 and 16 and the pin 38 then moves into the corresponding slot 34. The pin 38 then acts to rotate the shaft 16 riding in slot 34, and hence the shaft 16 is rotated through 90 while pin 38 is moving in the slot 34rand with the de fining members for the slot moving in the'concavity 37 of the cam. During this rotation, the raised surface 33 of the cam 30 onthe lever acts to maintain the pin 40 spaced from the shank 62. When, under this operation, the pin 38 has moved the shaft 16 through 90", it moves out of the slot 32 while into the concavity between slot 32 and the slot 32 next rearward in the rotation direction moves the concave outward surface 36, holding shaft 16 stationary while at this time, the mesh and spring in the 90 advanced position is removed while a spring 21 is added to pin 42 in the position 90 before top position. The mechanism has now moved one cycle, again to the position of FIGURE 1 and the cycle described will be repeated as basically controlled by the continued rotation of shaft 20.

It is within the scope of this invention to provide that instead of a pin mounting member such as an arm 17 moving toward and away from the shankv with the pins and shoulders, to provide a mechanism where the pin holder does not move relative to the shank but the pins and shoulders do.

If any difficulty is encountered in any embodiment of the invention in moving the mesh over the former then it is within the scope of the invention to provide a sleeve which will assist in this. Such sleeve could, for example, be retractably mounted on an arm 17 shaped and located to slide over the former just before themesh is added thereto. Such sleeve would be provided with a smooth outer surface'to easily receive the mesh passing off the shank. Once the mesh is located on the sleeve, means will be provided for retracting the sleeve from between the mesh and former so that the latter may be, together, removed. In many cases where a sleeve is provided it will be possible to dispense with: brush 58.

' I claim:

1. Assembling apparatus for, the application of tubular mesh to the former of a hair curler, wherein said former has a passage therethrough, comprising:

' means 'for supporting said former including a pin adapted'toextend into said passage from one end of said former, to terminate in a free end;

a shank extending longitudinally between a first and aisecond free end having side surfaces;

means adjacent said first free end for making abutting contact with said pin free end;

a recess in one of said adjacent means and said pin free end adapted to receive, during said abutting contact,

a portion of the other of said adjacent means and said pin free end for ensuring alignment between said shank and said pin;

said shank being shaped so that during such abutting contact, tubular mesh may slide longitudinally over the side surfaces of said shank from said second to said first free end;

and shaped so that when said abutting contact exists mesh moving off said first free end will move about said former;

means for ensuring that said mesh may move smoothly onto said shank;

means adapted to bear on said side surface through such mesh to support said shank;

guide means designed to act on said shank through said mesh to maintain said first free end substantially aligned in the direction of such sliding of the mesh with said pin free end in the direction of intended mesh movement, while allowing sliding movement of said mesh relative to said shank;

means for causing said bearing means to exert force on said mesh and side surfaces tending to move said mesh and shank approximately in said sliding direction toward said pin and former;

whereby when said abutting contact exists, said mesh is moved off said shank onto said former.

2. Assembling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means bearing on said side surfaces comprises at least two rollers with rolling surfaces adapted to bear on said shank through said mesh.

3. Assembling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bearing means incorporate said guide means.

4. Assembling apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein at least one of said rollers incorporates said guide means.

5. Assembling apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein at leats one of said rollers incorporates said guide means.

6. Assembling apparatus for the application of tubular mesh to the former of a hair curler, where said former has a passage therethrough, comprising:

means for supporting said former including a pin adapted to extend into said passage from one end of said former, to terminate in a free end;

a shank having a long dimension between a first and a second free end;

means adjacent said first free end for making abutting contact with said pin free end;

a recess in one of said first free end and said pin free end, adapted to receive, during said abutting contact,

a portion of the other of said adjacent means and said pin free end for ensuring alignment between said shank and said pin;

said shank being shaped so that during such abutting contact tubular mesh may slide over the side surfaces of said shank thereabout from said second to said first free end;

means for ensuring that said mesh may move smoothly onto said shank;

and shaped so that when said first free end is in a predetermined proximity and approximate end to and alignment with said pin free end, mesh moving o'fi said first free end will move about said former, whereby said mesh moving from about said shank to about said former, defines a tubular path; means adapted to bear on said side surfaces through such mesh; guide means designed to act on said shank through said mesh to maintain said first free end, means substantially aligned along the direction of intended mesh movement, while allowing sliding movement of said mesh relative to said shank;

means for causing said bearing means to exert force on said mesh and side surfaces tending to move said mesh and shank approximately in said sliding direction toward said pin and former;

means located internally of said tubular path for stopping movement of said shank toward said pin at said predetermined proximity.

7. Assembling apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said means bearing on said side surfaces comprises at least two rollers with rolling surfaces adapted to bear on said shank through said mesh.

8. Assembling apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said bearing means incorporate said guide means.

9. Assembling apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein at least one of said rollers incorporates said guide means.

10. Assembling apparatus as claimed in claim 7 Wherein at least one of said rollers incorporates said guide means.

11. Assembling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 where in said means bearing on said side surfaces comprises:

two pairs of opposed rollers and shank being located between the rolling surfaces of said opposed rollers.

12. Assembling apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein at least one of said rollers incorporates said guide means.

13. Assembling apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said means bearing on said side surfaces comprises:

14. Assembling apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein at least one of said rollers incorporates said guide means.

15. Assembling apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the roller contacting portions of said shank have a substantially uniform outer shape extending in the direction of mesh travel thereover and at least one roller of said pair is provided with side flanges shaped to act as said guide means.

16. Assembling apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the roller contacting portions of said shank have a substantially uniform outer shape extending in the longitudinal direction and at least one roller of said pair is provided with side flanges shaped to act as said guide means.

17. Assembling apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein said pairs of rollers are so dimensioned and spaced relative to the geometry of the shank that the pair of rollers nearer the operative location of said pin bear less heavily on said mesh than the other pair of rollers.

18. Assembling apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said pairs of rollers are so dimensioned and spaced relative to the geometry of the shank that the pair of rollers nearer the operative location of said pin bear less heavily on said mesh than the other pair of rollers.

19. Assembling apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein at least one of the pair of rollers farther from the operative position of said pin has a rolling surface of cylindrical shape concentric to its roller axis and said shank at its locus of contact with such surface is shaped to provide a surface parallel to the roller axis.

20. Assembling apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein at least one of the pair of rollers farther from the operative position of said pin has a rolling surface of cylindrical shape concentric to its roller axis and said shank at its locus of contact with such surface is shaped to provide a surface parallel to the roller axis.

21. Assembling apparatus for the application of tubular mesh to the former of a hair curler, where said former has a passage therethrough, comprising:

means for supporting said former including a pin adapted to extend into said passage from one end of said former, to terminate in a free end;

a shank having a long dimension between a first and a second free end;

means adjacent said first free end for making abutting contact with said pin free end;

said shank being shaped so that during such abutting contact tubular mesh may slide over the side surfaces of said shank thereabout from said second to said first free end;

and shaped so that when said first free end is in a predetermined proximity and approximate end to end alignment with said pin free end, mesh moving off.

said first free end will move about said former;

means for ensuring that said mesh may move smoothly onto said shank; I

whereby said mesh moving from about said shank to about said former, defines a tubular path;

means adapted to bear onisaid side surfaces through such mesh;

,guidemeans. designed to act on said shank through said mesh to maintain first .free end, means substantially aligned in the direction of such slidingof the mesh with said pin free end along the direction of intended mesh movement, while allowing sliding movement of said shankrelative thereto;

means for causing said bearing means to exert force on said mesh and side surfaces tending to move said mesh and shank approximately in said sliding direction toward said pin and former;

means located internally of said tubular path for stopping movement of said shank toward said pin at said predetermined proximity;

wherein said means bearing on said side surfaces comprises: tworpairs of opposed rollers, said shank being locatedbetween the rolling surfaces of said opposed rollers; said shank at1a location corresponding to the pair of opposed rollers more remote from the pin being provided with at least one. depression for receiving at least one of said remote opposed rollers whereby the shaping surface of said depression remote from said pin acts as a stop to restrict movement ofsaid shank 'in the; direction of said pin. ZZpAssembling apparatus as claimed in claim 21 wherein said shank is providedwith opposed depressions for respectively receiving saidremote opposed rollers.

23. Assembling apparatus for the application of tubular mesh to the former of a hair curler, wherein said former has a passage therethrough, comprising:

means for supporting said former including a pin adapted to extend into said passage from one end of said former, to terminate in a free end;

a shank extending longitudinally between a first and a second free end having side surfaces;

means adjacent said first free end for making abutting contact with said pin free end;

said shank being shaped so that during such abutting contact, tubular meshlmay slide longitudinally over i the side surfaces of said shank from said second to said first free end;

and shaped so that when said abutting contact exists mesh moving off said first free end .will move about said former;

means for ensuring that said mesh may move smoothly onto said shank;

means adapted to bear on said side surfaces through such mesh to support said shank;

guide means designed to act on said shank through said mesh to maintain said first free end substantially aligned in the direction of such sliding of the mesh withsaid pin .free end in the direction of intended mesh movement, while allowing sliding movement of said mesh relative to said shank;

means for causing said bearing means to exert force on said mesh and side surfaces tending to move said mesh and shank approximately in said sliding direction toward said pin and former; 7

whereby when said abutting contact exists, said mesh is moved off said shank onto said former;

wherein saidmeans for causing said bearing means to exert force comprises twopairs of opposed rollers, said shank being located between the rolling surfaces 7 of said opposed rollers;

said shank at the location corresponding to the pair of opposed rollers more remote from the pin being provided with at least one depression for receiving at 13 14 least one of said remote opposed rollers, whereby References Cited the shaping surface of said depression remote from UNITED STATES PATENTS 2 f? a Stop i movement sald 2,683,924 7/1954 Sohryver 29 20s X s F Sal 2,876,534 3/1959 Savona 29 433 24. Assembling apparatus as claimed in claim 23 5 3 99 3 1 4 Frink 29 241 X wherein said shank is provided with opposed depressions for respectively receiving said remote opposed rollers. THOMAS H- EAGER, Pr m ry E i 

